US targets Iran 'shadow fleet' operations with more sanctions
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States issued new sanctions targeting Iran's "shadow fleet" on Thursday, citing one individual and India- and United Arab Emirates-based groups whose vessels have transported Iranian oil.
The Treasury Department cited United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Indian national Jugwinder Singh Brar, who owns shipping companies with a fleet of nearly 30 vessels.
"Brar's vessels engage in high-risk ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of Iranian petroleum in waters off Iraq, Iran, the UAE, and the Gulf of Oman," the department said in a statement.
The sanctions also target two UAE- and two India-based entities that own and operate Brar's vessels that have transported Iranian oil on behalf of the National Iranian Oil Company and the Iranian military, Treasury said in a statement.
'The Iranian regime relies on its network of unscrupulous shippers and brokers like Brar and his companies to enable its oil sales and finance its destabilizing activities," said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
"The United States remains focused on disrupting all elements of Iran's oil exports, particularly those who seek to profit from this trade.'
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Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
What to know about the Iranian nuclear sites that were hit by US strikes
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The U.S. and Iran had been in talks that could have resulted in the U.S. lifting some of its crushing economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran drastically limiting or ending its enrichment of uranium. Until Saturday, Washington had helped shoot down Iranian strikes on Israel but had not launched direct attacks on Iran. Here's a look at the sites Trump said the U.S. struck and their importance to Iran's nuclear program. Natanz enrichment facility Iran's nuclear facility at Natanz, located some 220 kilometers (135 miles) southeast of Tehran, is the country's main enrichment site and had already been targeted by Israeli airstrikes. Uranium had been enriched to up to 60% purity at the site — a mildly radioactive level but a short step away from weapons grade — before Israel destroyed the aboveground part of the facility, according to the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. 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The B-2 is only flown by the Air Force, and is produced by Northrop Grumman, meaning that Washington would have to be involved in such an operation. Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center The facility in Isfahan, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) southeast of Tehran, employs thousands of nuclear scientists. It also is home to three Chinese research reactors and laboratories associated with the country's atomic program. Israel has struck buildings at the Isfahan nuclear site, among them a uranium conversion facility. The IAEA said there has been no sign of increased radiation at the site. Other nuclear sites Iran has several other sites in its nuclear program that were not announced as targets in the U.S. strikes. Iran's only commercial nuclear power plant is in Bushehr on the Persian Gulf, some 750 kilometers (465 miles) south of Tehran. Iran is building two other reactors like it at the site. Bushehr is fueled by uranium produced in Russia, not Iran, and is monitored by the IAEA. 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Boston Globe
21 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Senators Markey and Warren decry Trump's Iran strikes as unconstitutional
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USA Today
32 minutes ago
- USA Today
Trump just bombed Iran. We deserve to know why, but don't count on the truth.
You'll pardon me if I don't trust the words that fall out of the president's mouth. We were never given clear information about how close Iran was to developing a nuke. President Donald Trump may have just hurled America into war because he was mad nobody liked his recent military parade. Before you brush off that assertion and defend the June 21 U.S. attacks on three of Iran's nuclear sites − bombings ordered without showing Americans clear evidence or purpose, without congressional approval and without public support − consider who you're dealing with. Trump is a small man forever trying to make himself look big. He's a liar, a fabulist and an impulsive bully. His recent attempts at looking tough involved sending the U.S. Marines to Los Angeles and holding a large military parade in Washington, DC, that did little to impress. Opinion: From massive protests to a puny parade, America really let Donald Trump down Trump had a choice with Iran, and he chose war Israel's attacks on Iran and claims the Iranians were close to develop a nuclear weapon left Trump with a choice: He could study the facts, build a case for the American people and exhaust all diplomatic efforts. Or he could bomb the daylights out of Iranian nuclear sites and pull our nation back into a war in the Middle East. He chose the latter, perhaps because he thought it would make him look mighty. Americans were informed of the attack via words Trump posted on the social media site he owns. He later addressed the nation, saying the objective 'was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity.' 'Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,' Trump said. 'Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.' How can Americans believe a president who lies like Trump? I certainly hope so, but you'll pardon me if I don't trust the words that fall out of the president's mouth. We were never given clear information about how close Iran was to developing a nuke. And again, this attack didn't have congressional approval or popular support. An Economist/YouGov poll taken between June 13 and June 16 found: 'Only 16% of Americans think the U.S. military should get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran; 60% say it should not and 24% are not sure. Majorities of Democrats (65%), Independents (61%), and Republicans (53%) oppose U.S. military intervention in Iran.' Yet here we are. The president who ran on repeated assertions that he would bring peace to the world has launched an attack that will undoubtedly put Americans abroad and at home in danger. Opinion: Trump pivots to distractions as polls show collapsing support for his agenda Trump repeatedly promised peace, yet he has now brought us to war In his inaugural address, Trump said: 'We will measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars that we end − and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into. My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier. That's what I want to be: a peacemaker and a unifier.' Trump said of his opponent in the presidential race, then Vice President Kamala Harris: 'To make her president would be to gamble with the lives of millions of people. She would get us into a World War III guaranteed because she is too grossly incompetent to do the job.' And here we are, either fully engaged in a war with a powerful Middle-East nation or, at best, on the precipice of one. Americans deserve answers on Trump's decision to bomb Iran House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries released a statement saying: 'Donald Trump promised to bring peace to the Middle East. He has failed to deliver on that promise. The risk of war has now dramatically increased, and I pray for the safety of our troops in the region who have been put in harm's way. President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East.' Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. Americans deserve to know, explicitly, why these attacks took place. We deserve to know what merited the president's decision to launch the attacks without the support of Congress. But how can we expect clear and honest answers from a man who lies as easily as he breathes? Why should we expect this was anything more than a flex to soothe the insecurities of a commander-in-chief who preaches 'America first' while meaning 'Trump first'? Trump ended his comments bizarrely saying: "I just want to thank everyone, in particular God. We love you, God.' 'God help us' would be far more appropriate now. Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @ and on Facebook at You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
